Point Reyes Light - October 16, 2003

Ex-supe Gary Giacomini to help disburse Buck funds

By Ian Fein

County supervisors have appointed former colleague Gary Giacomini of San Geronimo to Marin Community Foundation’s powerful Board of Trustees in a 4 to 1 vote.

When Giacomini retired in 1996 after six terms beginning in 1972, he could boast longest tenure of any county supervisor in state history. As a supervisor, Giacomini led battles on behalf of environmentalism and agriculture.

In addition, he spearheaded a county fight that removed the now-billion-dollar Buck Trust from the administration of the San Francisco Foundation and in 1986 turned it over to the newly created Marin Community Foundation.

The court fight

The court fight arose when the value of the Leonard and Beryl Buck Trust skyrocketed from a few million to hundreds of millions. Directors of the San Francisco Foundation then tried to change a provision in Beryl Buck’s will that said income from the trust must be spent in Marin County.

County government, the Marin Council of Agencies, and the state Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Division all fought the move in court and ultimately prevailed.

"I love this irony," Giacomini told The Light Tuesday. "I was the godfather of the foundation, and now I get to be on [the Board of Trustees]. As I start down into my twilight years, it’s a huge honor to be a part of this giant foundation that has the ability to do so much good for the county."

Size of foundation

The Marin Community Foundation is now the largest in the state and the fourth largest in the country. Since it started dispersing money on Jan. 1, 1987, foundation trustees have given out almost $600 million and have assembled more that $1 billion in assets.

"We’re thrilled to have Gary’s insight, judgment, and experience," foundation president and CEO Tom Peters said after Giacomini’s selection. "He has a thorough knowledge of West Marin and the whole county and brings with him such a sense of history, even in the formation of this foundation.

"Even though he is one of our founding forces, Gary is really coming on with an orientation toward the future, not the past," Peters said, "and that is going to be an extremely valuable perspective. Gary’s Rolodex expands across the county, and you can’t be in his presence and not pay attention."

One supervisor objects

One county supervisor, Susan Adams, has however questioned whether Giacomini’s Rolodex may in fact impede his role as trustee, and whether he has used his countywide connections appropriately since retiring as supervisor. He now heads the Marin office of a San Francisco-based law firm and has served as a paid land-use consultant to a number of high-profile developers, including George Lucas’ expansions in Nicasio.

Giacomini also sits on a number of boards throughout Marin County, which may lead to conflicts of interest, said Supervisor Adams, who cast the lone dissenting vote against Giacomini’s appointment.

"My concern at the time was that if [Giacomini] has these involvements with different boards and business with land-use dealings, and an issue comes up that has implications, I believe that he would have to recuse himself from that vote and then we don’t have full representation," Adams told The Light.

Giacomini to quit groups

However, Giacomini said that he will resign from the many boards on which he serves, including Halleck Creek Riding Club for the Disabled in Nicasio, the Lagunitas Gym Committee, and Slide Ranch ecology and agriculture center in Muir Beach.

"I hate to do it because I’ve got great friends on all the boards and enjoy them immensely," Giacomini told The Light, "but I will resign from every board I’m on by the first of November so that I can vote to improve their grants. I’d rather do that then recuse myself from the vote.

"Hopefully I’ll be able to help [current Trustee and Tomales Bay State Park resident ranger] Carlos [Porrata] make sure that West Marin gets its fair share [of Buck grants]. Sometimes it doesn’t get all that it deserves, but if I have my say, I’ll help keep West Marin viable."

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